Too Little Too Late
by TheCandyChild
Summary: Miku Hatsune has told her best friend, Len Kagamine, 'I hate you' three times since meeting him and 'I love you' when it was too late. Oneshot.
This is the story of two people- Len Kagamine and Miku Hatsune. The two were nearly inseparable. If you saw Len Kagamine, you'd most likely see Miku Hatsune not far from him, too.

They trusted each other with their lives.

They cried on each other's shoulders.

They leaned on each other for support.

They laughed together.

They were always together.

They _love_ each other.

He loved her.

She loves him.

They _loved_ each other.

Miku Hatsune has told her best friend 'I hate you' three times since meeting him and finally an 'I love you.'

It's a real shame that she told him too little too late.

* * *

 _ ****_ _ **Age 14**_  
"Fuck!" Miku yelled as someone glomped her from behind. She spun around to find Len hugging her. She scoffed and shrugged him off. "Jeez, what's with the surprise attack?" She asked, puffing her cheeks. He shrugged and slung an arm around her shoulder. She didn't mind. Neither of them were uncomfortable with it- they've known each other since they were in diapers, anyways. It wasn't uncommon for Len to show his enormous displays of affection through physical contact.

"I saw an opportunity and took it, is that so wrong?" He asked, grinning. Miku rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, it is when I nearly karate chop your face off!" She snorted.

The two fourteen year-olds continued their journey home. "Ah, hold on a sec, Leek Freak." Len paused, then dug for something in his pocket. When he finally found it, he withdrew his hand and presented something to Miku. He dropped whatever it was in her hand. She blinked as she looked at his present to her.

It was a necklace- a beautiful one, too. It had a silver chain and a blue gem as the pendant. A silver thorny vine wrapped around the teardrop-shaped pendant, and at the top of the gem, the thorn presented a beautiful, silver rose. Miku gasped. "Len...it's..." Len grinned.

"Like it?" He said. He took the necklace from her and wrapped it around her neck. Fumbling with it for a moment until he finally got it right, he grinned proudly and wrapped his arm around her again. "Your birthday's comin' up soon. Consider it one of many gifts." Miku grinned.

"Thank you." A bus drove by lazily, and from inside, someone catcalled them. Miku could hear laughing from inside as the bus gradually drove farther and farther away. "Ha?" Miku snorted. "What, do they think we're a couple?" Len shrugged.

"Guess so?" He chuckled. "I can see why." Miku raised her eyebrows.

"Oh?" She mused. "How's that?" Len grinned cheekily.

"For one, I have my arm wrapped around you." He replied. He pretended to think. "Hm...what else...oh, yeah. I'm carrying your backpack...we were both forever loners so we spent Valentine's Day together..." Miku rolled her eyes, laughing.

"But as if I'd go out with you!" She snickered.

He put a smile on his face. "Aw, what's wrong with me?" He whined. "I'm a good kisser~" Miku snorted.

"You haven't even had your first kiss," She pointed out, "besides, I doubt you're even decent at kissing." Len wriggled his eyebrows and pulled her a little closer to him, grinning slyly.

"Wanna find out?" He said, puckering his lips. Miku rolled his eyes and pushed his face away playfully.

"I'm good," She told him. Len pouted.

"Aw, I know you love me~" Miku rolled her eyes, the corner of her lips turning upward in a small smile.

"I don't even like you!" She teased.

"Aw, that's not true, Miku dear!" He told her with a bright, radiant smile. "I know you still have that cute lil' picture I drew for you when we were, like, 7." Miku's cheeks turned scarlet at the accusation. It was true, she still had it. She didn't necessarily know why, though. It was just a simple drawing of her and Len that he drew when he was 7, but even so, as the years passed, she kept it anyway. She even framed it and put it on her dresser.

"S-Shut up!" She stuttered as Len burst into fits of laughter. She smacked his arm. "I hate you!"

* * *

 _ ****_ ** _Age 15_**  
Miku hiccuped as she slid down to the floor, her back against her bedroom door as she brought her knees up to her chin and cried. The day for the tealette has been horrible. She'd gotten an F on a huge test, which sent her grade spiraling down to a D. That wasn't anything to really cry about, though.

She was crying because she experienced her first heartbreak and betrayal.

It wasn't like Lui was trying to hurt her. It was Ring that wanted to see her face contorted with pain and sadness and shock. Her best friend- _ex_ -best friend- Ring Suzune had planned it all. She found out who Miku liked- Lui Hibiki- and got him to fall in love with her. She told Miku to meet her at Trailwood Park afterschool, and when Miku arrived, she arrived just in time to see Hibiki confess to Ring. Right before Ring sealed the deal, she looked Miku straight in the eye with a small smirk, as if saying ' _I won, bitch.'_

Why? Miku didn't know. _People are so cruel..._ She thought. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, but she ignored it. It vibrated a few more times, nonstop, and she decided to pick it up and see what it was. It was Len.

 _Hey Leek Freak you okay?_ _  
_ _4:23 PM_

 _You've been distant lately._ _  
_ _4:23_

 _I saw you crying after school. You ran away before I could've asked what happened._ _  
_ _4:23_

 _Please respond, Leek Freak._ _  
_ _4:23_

 _I'm worried._ _  
_ _4:24_

 _Did someone hurt you? Who did it?_ _  
_ _4:24_

 _I know something's wrong._ _  
_ _4:24 PM_

 _You can talk to me._ _  
_ _4:24 PM_

 _Please answer._ _  
_ _4:25 PM_

 _I can help you._ _  
_ _4:25 PM_

 _Do you need anything? Do you need someone to talk to?_ _  
_ _4:25 PM_

 _Let me help you._ _  
_ _4:25 PM_

 _Where are you?_ _  
_ _4:26_

With shaky hands and vision blurred by unshed tears, Miku shakily typed her response.

 **im in my room.** **  
** **4:27**

 **i need you len** **  
** **4:27**

Almost immediately, there was a reply from the worried blonde.

 _I'm on my way._ _  
_ _4:27_ _  
_ ** _~*~_**  
Rain pelted against the tealette's window mercilessly, reflecting her mood almost perfectly. Among the noisy rain, there was another sound.

 _Knock knock._

Miku stood and peered through the curtains. There was a tree near the outside of her with thick, sturdy branches that nearly reached the window itself. Len was perched on one of the branches, soaking wet and carrying a backpack. She opened the window and he climbed inside, setting the backpack down.

Without a word, he walked over to her and gave her a warm, love-filled embrace. She didn't protest or resist against it. She hugged him back, her face buried in his shoulder as a fresh stream of tears flowed down her rosy cheeks. He patted her back as she cried into his shoulder. "Hey," He said, quietly, pulling back to look at Miku's tearstained face. "What happened?"

Miku opened her mouth and tried to speak but the rising lump in her throat made it hard. "I- I- Ring, s-she- it wa-was all f-fake-" A sob ripped free from her throat. Len gently sat her down on her bed and took the backpack, digging through it.

He took out a tub of mint chip ice cream, a spoon, a container of chicken soup, and a few leeks. He offered her the leek, which she gladly took. She didn't realize how hungry she was until that moment. Crying, apparently, took a lot out of a girl. She bit down on the leek as Len took a tissue and wiped her tears away.

"You don't need to tell me right away," He said, softly. "Tell me when you're ready. As of right now, just eat. I packed your favorite foods so you can feel at least a little better." She nodded and leaned on him, her head resting on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and stroked her hair soothingly.

"Why are you so good to me, Len?" She asked him. She didn't know why someone as amazing as him would be so amazing to someone as bland as her. He gave her a small smile.

"What, I have to have a reason?" He chuckled. "Because I love you. I can't stand seeing you upset. I mean, we've known each other since we were, what, a year old?" Miku's lips tugged upward as she snuggled further into Len. As of right now, there were no tears. There was no anger. There was no heartbreak. There was no sadness. All because Len was here, with her.

"You pamper me so much," She told him, her hand creeping to his. Miku interlocked her fingers with Len's and closed her eyes. "...You know I still hate you right?"

* * *

 ** _Age 16_**  
"I was trying to protect you from him!"

"Protect? What do you mean protect?!" Miku snapped back, shooting Len a withering glare. "You- Kaito's a good guy! I like him, Len!" Len scowled.

"Do you know how many women he's been with?!" He yelled back in exasperation. " _Do you know_?!" Miku growled. They were fighting- this was one of their rare, serious ones.

It started when Len had completely ruined Miku's chances with Kaito.

He asked her out, _finally_ , and what does Len do? Go up to him and tell him no. That Miku's off limits and that he wouldn't "let a filthy scumbag take advantage of her." And then fists flew. Miku stopped it, thankfully, and nobody was seriously injured. Len ended up with a bloody nose and bruise forming on his cheekbone, and Kaito with a black eye and split lip. After that, Kaito refused to go out with her and cancelled their plans.

Miku slammed her hands down on the table. "That doesn't mean that he didn't actually like me! He could've!" Len scoffed and gave her a look from behind his long, blonde bangs. It wasn't a glare, but the look wasn't the soft, friendly gaze he normally had on when he set his eyes upon her. Miku didn't notice it, but in his eyes was pain and confusion and absolute sadness.

" _Could've_?!" Len snorted. "You're willing to put your heart on the line for a chance that some douchebag playboy _might_ actually like you? Really, Miku?" He scoffed. "I did you a favor!" Miku's hands trembled.

"Favor?!" She hissed, eyes burning with unspeakable rage. "Len Kagamine, you're nothing more than a pathetic, selfish _coward_!" Len flinched, as if she had struck him. He gave her a disbelieving look.

" _Excuse_ me?"

"You heard me," She spat, her voice full of venom. "You're afraid of being left alone, so you had to go and ruin a chance of happiness for me! Do you have any idea how selfish and childish and pathetic you're being? Why couldn't you just let me be happy? You don't know how much I actually liked him! You repulse me!"

"You think I don't know that I'm a selfish, pathetic piece of shit?!" He hissed. "It's just _Kaito_ we're talking about here! That's not much of a loss, Miku. He's not worth it, so just get over it!" Miku grit her teeth together.

"Out." She said. When Len didn't move, she looked up at him, tears and fury in her eyes. "Get out!" She screamed.

All happy memories of her and Len vanished in that moment. All she could focus on was the intense anger and, oddly, hate toward the Kagamine. It was the stress and pent up anger that slowly but surely built up within the past years. She exploded.

"Get the fuck out of here!" She yelled, bounding toward him. "I don't want to see you here again, you cowardly, disgusting, useless, worthless, stupid, selfish, self-centered piece of fucking shit! I never want to see your face again! I wish we never met! I'll be better off without you holding me down!" The words came tumbling out of her mouth, even though she didn't mean them.

She didn't process them though. She shoved Len out the door and tore the necklace Len gave her two years ago off her neck and threw it at him. It hit his head and he hissed, rubbing his the spot. There was a small streak of crimson appearing where it had hit him, but she didn't spot it. Just before she slammed the door, she yelled after him,

"I hate you!"  
 **~*~**  
Miku bit her lip, staring at her phone screen. She felt terrible. She overreacted for sure and all that stress and anger she's been holding in for so long just exploded on the unfortunate Len.

She didn't mean any of it at all.

 **Hey.** **  
** **8:03**

 **I'm really sorry. I didn't mean any of that stuff. The stress and anger that I've been harboring for a long time just broke free and you happened to be the person that was near me when I exploded like that. I'm really, really sorry. You're not selfish or pathetic at all. You're amazing. I'm seriously sorry. I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you if you're still willing to be my friend.**  
 **8:04**

A few minutes passed. Len hasn't read any of the texts yet.

 **You there?** **  
** **8:07**

She decided to call.

Miku bit her lip as he finally picked up.

"Hey, Len, I'm real sorry about what happened, I didn't-" The voice that cut her off was a man's voice, deep and gruff. She didn't recognize it.

"Who is this?"

* * *

Miku never noticed. There were a lot of things about Len she didn't notice. She knew everything about him, but at the same time, she didn't.

She didn't know that he thought his skin was paper.

She never noticed the scars that littered his wrists.

She never knew that he was emotionally and even sometimes physically abused my his parents.

She never noticed how he always worked his ass off to get straight A's because he was being pressured.

She never knew that the happy, cheerful blonde held an intense self-loathing and lack of self-worth toward himself.

She never noticed that he looked at her like she was the greatest thing in the world, because to him, she was. To him, she _was_ his world.

She never knew that his sadness kept growing and growing throughout the years.

She never noticed that he was in love with her.

She never knew that she was his beacon of light, his hope, and when she said those words to him, his heart broke beyond recognition.

She never noticed that when he left, tears glistened in his eyes.

She never knew that her words and actions sent him spiraling over the edge.

She never noticed that the disease known as depression overtook him when she told him she hated him.

She hated herself for never noticing.

She despised herself for not knowing him more.

* * *

Miku sat next to the gravestone, numb. The fresh dirt prevented her from sitting directly in front of it. She brought her knees up to her chin and hugged them, leaning against the gravestone. She'd been in this same position with Len many times before, only this time, instead of leaning against Len's warm body, she leaned against the cold gravestone that had his name engraved in it.

"Hey, Len," She whispered to nothing in particular. She liked to think that he was still there, alive and smiling, despite the huge fight they had when they last saw each other. "Do you hate me? Because you should. Even I hate myself." She blinked as she felt something fall on her lap. She looked down to discover that a small droplet of water had hit her.

She brought her hand up to her cheek. "Oh. I'm crying." She looked up at the blue, cloudless sky. It was a beautiful day. "...I'm sorry for driving you to this." She said, closing her eyes as another tear rolled off the side of her face.

"It's my fault...I don't deserve it, but I hope you can forgive me..."

A part of her wanted to believe that this was some long, huge nightmare. She'd wake up then text Len, who'd be very much alive and healthy, who'd comfort her and make her giggle.

That was the foolish part of Miku.

"Hey, Len...I've told you I hated you so many times, but I never really meant it..." She said. "It's a little too late for this, I know, but I'll just say it since it's something that I _do_ mean with all my heart." Her lips tugged upward in a small smile as the tears streamed down her face nonstop.

She bit her lip, forcing the sob in her throat back down.

"I love- I love you."

She said it, and a small part of her told her that if she said those words, he'd come back to her.

He didn't.

She clenched her jaw, the smile wiped off her face, replaced by a sad grimace.

 _"_ I love you."

She doubled over, weeping as the wind blew gently.

She could've sworn she felt a warm, blissful, forgiving presence.

She could've sworn she felt familiar arms wrap around her in a tight loving embrace.

She could've sworn she heard an angelic quiet voice softly say, "I love you too, Leek Freak."

And then it was gone.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes. She told Len Kagamine that she hated him three times when he was still by her side. She told him she loved him twice already.

To make up for those three lies she told him, a single tear rolled down her cheek as she whispered,

" _I love you_."

* * *

 **heeeey guys guess who's back with another sad LenKu oneshot? DIS GAL! *dodges various objects***

 **i need to stop killing Len :(**

 **creating the cover literally took my two hours so i s2g im so proud right now.**

 **reviews greatly appreciated! encouraged, even! please please plEASE REVIEW.**


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